Dr. Mohammad Reza Dehshiri, an Iranian professor of international relations in an interview with the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, added: “The existing opportunity in the cyberspace is to the extent that creation of cultural regionalism can be the best way for intra-civilizational dialogue in the Muslim World.”

Stressing the need for intra-civilizational dialogue in the Islamic World, he underlined the role the statesmen play in this respect. “Statesmen in the Muslim countries should open the space for dialogue rather than blocking it.”

Dehshiri hailed the “important role” that political elites play in realization of intra-civilizational dialogue and noted: “The best way is to establish academic communication between the elites of Islamic countries and launching sabbatical leaves for Iranian professors in Arab countries and the vice versa so that through direct talks between the elites the misunderstandings could be removed.

Noting that scientific elites can identify common borders and turn differences into friendships in various sectors, including using art and language, he said. “For example, by working in areas such as theater, music, and cinema, common grounds and points of differences can be identified and efforts can be made to eliminate or reduce the discrepancies.”

Regretting that due to political hurdles in the Islamic countries, it was not possible for political elites to exchange visits and establish close contacts, Dehshiri proposed that the Muslim World elites use the cyberspace to provide a suitable platform for intra-civilizational dialogue.

Noting that the commonalities of Muslims including Islam itself, the Quran and Kaaba were effective factors in intra-civilizational dialogue, the university instructor meantime emphasized that the important thing in Islamic civilization is the role of the elites and theorists in the Islamic World. Of course, these dialogues should be peaceful and not exclamatory or hostile and the parties should be committed to the requirements of the dialogue, otherwise, it would yield no results.

In conclusion, Dehshiri referred to the West’s attempts to spread Islamophobia and portray a violent and extremist image of Islam and said: “Muslim elites can offer a moderate and rational image of Islam through inter-civilizational dialogue and show the West that Islam is the religion of peace and moderation, as well as dialogue with other religions.”